Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Mar 14, 2009 11:25 AM
Joined: Mar 14, 2009
Points: 34
Not sure where to post this...

Does anyone here sleep on a convoluted Latex Mattress Topper?

I can't do Tempur-pedic - as I feel like it reflects too much heat back in spots and it wakes me up in the night. I don't feel too warm anywhere else, just in those hot spots - but I have to move to a cool spot and that goes on every little bit.

Had a plush Serta Blissful Dream II from Great Indoors with convoluted latex and something else called Kool Komfort foam that I loved - but after 18 months it sagged and got impressions that were permanent.

A high-end Sterns & Foster with individually wrapped coils felt like it built up heat and reflected it back - just in the spot where my shoulders and back are.

I have also tried sleeping on a totally organic wool mattress topper (hot spots there too).

So - it's a dilemma.

Foam made out of petroleum ends up feeling like sleeping on plastic (to me).

If I ever go to a hotel with one of those protective pads (synthetic?) under the mattress pad, it feels like plastic and I can't sleep on it.

So I'm looking for something that feels "breathable" and does not do the heat-reflecting thing.

I use a 100% cotton mattress pad and 100% cotton jersey sheets. I like the feel of egg-crate or convoluted. If I can just get the breathable thing figured out, I'll be fine.

Comments welcome. Thanks in advance.


This message was modified Mar 14, 2009 by BedSaga
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #4 Mar 19, 2009 7:43 AM
Joined: Mar 14, 2009
Points: 34
No, not on the Stearns and Foster now - sent it back.  Long story.

What we're sleeping on now - is a stop-gap measure:  a better-than-average hide-a-bed mattress on the floor, over an old 3-inch foam pad (foam pad on the bottom).  It looks ridiculous because it's surrounded by the king size wood frame, footboard, and headboard. Obviously we're sleeping much closer together than usual!  No room to spread out.

My DH has joked that we went from climbing "up" onto our bed to now climbing "down" to get to our bed.  I retorted that - hey - it's Job One to keep his life exciting and he'll just never know what to expect! :)  Fortunately, I think he can sleep on just about any mattress.

So - now waiting for the convoluted latex mattress topper to arrive.  We have an old, fairly firm mattress and box springs set downstairs that we can bring up to put under the mattress topper.  Hoping this will work.

I guess for now you could say I'm too scared to spend big bucks on a bed unless there's a full money-back guarantee.

Next frontier - when we're visiting relatives down south - I might visit a Jamison bed retailer.  They show a latex bed on their site.  Bet it's spendy...?

Still looking for comments from all you convoluted latex mattress topper sleepers. 

What say ye?
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #5 Mar 19, 2009 3:01 PM
Joined: May 3, 2008
Points: 827
Have you done a search on the forum for convoluted latex toppers? You might find some answers there, or send them a PM, whoever has one (I forgot who has them now).

Search Jamison on the forum also. Can't remember if they are all synthetic latex or not. They could have foam in it too, some of the S brand latex mattresses do.

Are you happy with those jersey sheets? I am still searching for thicker quality jersey sheets. The ones I find locally as way to thin and cheap. Seems to be the quality of stuff today.
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #6 Mar 19, 2009 8:56 PM
Joined: Mar 14, 2009
Points: 34
Thanks for the reply.

I like the jersey sheets (sometimes called t-shirt sheets) because they are breathable (I had to give away a 400-thread count set of sheets because the tight weave was not breathable.  At least that was my theory).  Don't know if the jersey sheets are high quality or low quality.  Have had them in almost constant use for 18 months and they seem to be holding up.  They are quite stretchy.

Paid $29.99 for a king set at an outlet mall.  Should have gotten two sets back then.

You all still feel free to comment in you're familiar with a convoluted latex mattress topper.

Thanks!
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #7 Mar 20, 2009 1:43 AM
Location: Vancouver, WA
Joined: Feb 9, 2009
Points: 21
I understand these hot spots build up in the mattress under you BUT I notice this effect when I use a down comforter.

It also seems random and tied to stress, sometimes I just dont sleep well and notice hot flashes, I almost always have my heavy comforter on when I notice this.

What sheets, comforter do you use?

Have you tried bamboo or synthetic wicking sheets or mattress pad?

For underneath you, goretex makes a really nice cooling/wicking pad

http://www.innstyle.com/cart.php?target=category&category_id=1063

I think coolmax is based in europe which is why you see many "cool max" variations of pads sold by the Euro not the dollar, while in the US you only see 1 or 2 cool max pad variations. I have a feeling gore-tex is pretty much the same material as cool max but is based in the US. Gore-tex has its own mattress pad but other brands use gore-tex materials and are cheaper then the name brand gore-tex pad, like sealy bed armor.

This message was modified Mar 20, 2009 by Phalse
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #8 Mar 20, 2009 9:43 AM
Location: Oregon
Joined: Oct 25, 2008
Points: 130
You should have a lot of replies to this question as anyone who has the standard Flobeds setup has a convoluted latex topper.... I know there are alot of those folks on here.

I do not have a convoluted latex topper but will tell you that the standard 2" or 3" latex topper does not sleep hot.  Latex is not only full of small holes but also the larger holes you can see in the pictures and does breathe well. It is not like sleeping on memory foam.  Now I noticed that you said you had a "3-inch eggshell mattress topper" at one time or another.... if you found that hot you might also find any type of latex hot.   We have a FBM setup with a 6" latex core and a 2" soft latex topper, this is in their terrycloth mattress cover (which is thin) and then over all of this we have the Costco cuddle bed mattress cover, which is about a one inch thick polyester filled cotton cover.  I do not have a warm sleeping problem, but my wife does and she does not find this setup too warm......  One caveat is that we have only had it this winter, but I do not think it will be warm in the summer either, just my gut feeling.

Bill

Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #9 Mar 20, 2009 10:09 AM
Joined: Mar 14, 2009
Points: 34
I appreciate all these comments!

Just fyi - the eggshell foam topper in my list above was "not" latex.  Not sure what it is made of but it does not have any holes like latex.

Keep the comments coming - from anyone who can relate to the "hot spots" problem (not hot flashes, as I'm not hot anywhere else).  It just feels like the heat gets reflected only to shoulders and hip or back. 

So I'm looking for that "cool sleeping" mattress topper and the "breathable" feeling to eliminate hot spots...
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #10 Mar 21, 2009 6:16 PM
Joined: Mar 14, 2009
Points: 34
Phalse wrote:
I understand these hot spots build up in the mattress under you BUT I notice this effect when I use a down comforter.

It also seems random and tied to stress, sometimes I just dont sleep well and notice hot flashes, I almost always have my heavy comforter on when I notice this.

What sheets, comforter do you use?

Have you tried bamboo or synthetic wicking sheets or mattress pad?

For underneath you, goretex makes a really nice cooling/wicking pad

http://www.innstyle.com/cart.php?target=category&category_id=1063

I think coolmax is based in europe which is why you see many "cool max" variations of pads sold by the Euro not the dollar, while in the US you only see 1 or 2 cool max pad variations. I have a feeling gore-tex is pretty much the same material as cool max but is based in the US. Gore-tex has its own mattress pad but other brands use gore-tex materials and are cheaper then the name brand gore-tex pad, like sealy bed armor.


Interesting comments ....

We sleep with 100% cotton mattress pad, 100% cotton jersey sheets (also called t-shirt sheets), one very thin cotton blanket and a down "blanket" which is MUCH thinner than a down comforter.  My husband never needs more than this, and sometimes throws off the down blanket.  I'm just right with this, or if it is cold, I add a hand-crocheted throw that is a "large weave" on my side.

A down comforter was too hot, even in winter. It would feel great at first, but I would wake up too hot.  The switch to the down blanket has been just right.  I got the down blanket at Penney's a few years ago, but to my knowledge they have not stocked them in the store lately.  I have not checked the catalog.  I did notice a down blanket at Costco the other day.  It's easy to "make the bed" with a down blanket.

My issue does not seem to be hot flashes or any kind of moisture or perspiration.  So I don't know if I need any "wicking" so to speak.  I don't usually feel hot except for the hot spots where the heat is being reflected back to my shoulders and back (or hip if side sleeping) from a mattress.  This is really bad if I ever stay at a hotel that has those protective pads under the mattress pad.  Feels like sleeping on lava or something!  It also happens with memory foam, which is unfortunate, because otherwise I think I'd be very happy with the "feel" or "comfort" of memory foam.

Interesting question about bamboo. Is it at all like synthetics? I know that I can't seem to wear the clothing that is made of "Modal" or "Viscose" these days.  Even 50% Viscose.  Just not breathable enough.  "Breathable" is the only word I can figure out to describe this.
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #11 Mar 26, 2009 7:24 PM
Joined: Mar 14, 2009
Points: 34
Hi - here's an update

Received the convoluted latex mattress topper - dunlop enveloped with 100% organic cotton over 100% organic wool construction covering. 

Seems pretty good.  So far I have not felt the hot spots.  It felt a little warm in the morning, but it was an "even" sort of warmness, not the hot spots that wake me up in the middle of the night.  Added a 100% cotton mattress pad between the topper and the sheet and I think it helped.

Funny, I can't tell which side is convoluted.  At least it's not very dramatic; not like the feel of an eggshell shape. 

This is currently over a makeshift bed (mattress over foam pad) on the floor.  Now that I think we'll be keeping this topper, we have a bed two floors down that we can bring up - but it will take some work to do that.

Thanks everyone for comments!
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #12 Mar 29, 2009 9:12 PM
Location: Yosemite area
Joined: Sep 10, 2008
Points: 249
Convoluted latex topper sounds interesting...how thick is it, do you know the density, and where did you get it?  I'm thinking about replacing the 4" of foam in the top of my mattress with some combination of latex/venus memory foam...I think 4" altogether.  I did not like a latex topper we had in the past as it was very boingy...but I believe latex is different types and feels...
Thanks,
Kait
Re: Convoluted Latex Foam Mattress Topper to fight hot spots? - inviting comments
Reply #13 Mar 31, 2009 4:01 PM
Joined: Mar 14, 2009
Points: 34
Hi there

Here's where I ended up:

http://greenmattresses.com/mattress-toppers.htm

Funny, with the covering on it and the wool sewn into the cotton cover, I'm having a hard time telling what's convoluted.  This cover is not zippered, so I can't peak inside.

Seems comfortable, nevertheless - but your mileage may vary.

I think the one we got is described as Dunlop medium - but I didn't know much about the numbers (ILD ?) back then.  Also, they said that it being convoluted softens it up some compared to the same thing without the convoluted shape.

I know that I like things that feel pretty soft, plush, or whatever.  I now know after going to a showroom that if ever I got latex slabs, I would want super-soft Talalay ILD 22 over super-soft Talalay 22.  Or softer! :)

Hope it helps.

Kindest regards